Mirzawlang massacre resulted from govt’s weakness

KABUL (Pajhwok): A large number of people in Kabul and central Bamyan province protested against the massacre of civilians in northern Sar-i-Pul province.

They said the incident happened due to government’s negligence and demanded the same action against the perpetrators.

Mehdi Mubashir, head of the Citizen Movement Institute (CMI), told to a press conference in Kabul said the massacre in Mirzawlang area was a war crime.

“This crime resulted from government’s weakness, the government is responsible to protect people’s lives, but unfortunately it did not honor any of its pledges so far and that is the reason innocent people are continued to lose lives,” he said.

He asked the government to conduct a clearing operation and recapture the Mirzawlang area from militants and free those still in rebels’ captivity.

Murtaza Saram, one of the protestors and resident of Mirzawlang area of Sayyad district, said: “Mirzawlang is a strategic area for militants, they may stage massive attacks from the area on provincial capital and seize its control.”

He accused the government and Sar-i-Pul representatives of negligence in protection of people and said the government should not remain silent by just condemning such crimes.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan Civil Society Forum (ACSF) members during a separate press conference in Kabul called the massacre in Mirzawlang ‘a major crime’ and asked the government to fire and investigate officials who had committed negligence in the case.

Sayed Naser Musavi, a member of ACSF, said: “We want the government to launch an operation and rescue civilians who are still with militants as soon as possible.”

“No religion allows this type of killings, I ask the people to get united against the enemies of people and rescue the country,” he said.

In central Bamyan province, a number of people protested against the massacre in Mirzawlang and said the government lacked the ability to maintain people’s security and people had to ensure their security themselves.

Provincial council members, religious scholars, former jihadi figures, political parties, civil society activists and women condemned the civilians’ killing and negligence of the government.

Sughra Attai, one of the protestors, said: “We all know that civilians were killed en masse in Mirzawlang, but government’s silence and inaction against the perpetrators and recovery of the victims is more painful, 70 hours have passed but no action was taken so far.”

She said people were disappointed with the government’s performance and they had to ensure their security themselves.

Talking on behalf of Bamyan Ulema, Mohammad Sajjad Mohsini, said: “It is questionable that government did not send security forces for protection of the people in the area.”

“The Afghan people neutralize any plots of enemies who want to divide us, but we are doubtful about the government when it took no action despite Sar-i-Pul governor asked for help,” he said.

On August 5, militants killed dozens of people, mostly civilians, after capturing Mirzawlang area of Sayyad district.

The area had been under control of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) and public uprising members (pro-government forces) until August 4, when Taliban attacked and severely battled for capturing the area.

Local officials said some parts of the Mirzawlang area were under Taliban control and others under Daesh militant group.

However, Taliban rejected killing civilians.

President Ashraf Ghani a day earlier vowed to avenge the masscare in Mirzawlang.